April 1 Mono Lake level: 6378.3 feet above sea level and rising

April 10th, 2017 by Robbie, Restoration Field TechniciancloseAuthor: Robbie, Restoration Field TechnicianName: Robert Di PaoloTitle: Restoration Field TechnicianAbout: Robbie grew up in San Francisco and received his BS in Environmental Science from Humboldt State University. He first heard about Mono Lake in an environmental policy class, became a Mono Lake Intern in the summer of 2014, and hasn't left since! He is now responsible for monitoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, measuring the level of Mono Lake, coordinating annual aerial Eared Grebe surveys, leading the invasive plant removal program, and assisting with any additional restoration programs in the Mono Basin. In his free time you might find him fishing, hiking, skiing, or playing board games.See All Posts by Robert (44)Contact Robert

April 1, the beginning of the runoff year, is a particularly important day for Mono Lake. Each April 1 Mono Lake Committee and Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) staff walk down to Mono Lake and read the lake level, together. It is particularly important because it is the April 1 lake level that determines how much water is allowed to be diverted from Mono Basin streams to the City of Los Angeles for the year.

Brian Norris from DWP and Robbie Di Paolo from the Mono Lake Committee read the lake level gauge together on April 1, 2017. Photo by Bartshé Miller.

The first time I participated in one of these April 1 lake level readings was in 2015 when the lake had dropped to a level that triggered a 70% reduction of water exports. The second time, the lake narrowly cleared the level that would have halted water exports altogether. Years of drought lowered the lake and heightened concern over available exports, but this year was different. This year Mono Lake is on the rise.

As Committee and DWP staff walked to the lake’s edge we all marveled at the signs of a rising lake. “Look how far away the lake gauge is!” “Look at how much water is coming out of this spring!” “Look how wet the shoreline is!” were just some of the comments. It was clear that everyone was happy to see the lake rising.

Committee and DWP staff in front of the gauges after the cooperative April 1 lake level reading. Photo by Bartshé Miller.

The lake measured in at an elevation of 6378.3 feet above sea level. In January, the lake level was 6377.1, which means that the lake has risen 1.2 feet, or just shy of 14.5 inches, so far this year.

At the current level, California State Water Board rules allow DWP to export 4,500 acre feet of water in the course of the year. Eventually, when the lake level reaches 6,380 feet, DWP will once again be able to export 16,000 acre feet of water. After a winter of record precipitation, the Mono Lake Committee projects that Mono Lake will rise another 3–4 feet before the 2018 April 1 lake level reading. After half a decade of drought and declining lake level, this is fantastic news that we can all enjoy.